1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to controlling an aircraft when landing the craft and particularly to controlling the craft along a multi-segment path toward the center line of a beam transmitted from a ground base station, and which beam center line defines a runway.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Present day Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) provide guidance for an aircraft through a single localizer or glide slope beam with limited area coverage. Microwave Landing Systems (MLS) generate a wide area beam and thus enable the initiation of multi-segment approaches to beam center line so as to allow more aircraft in the terminal area. In such a multi-segment approach it is necessary that each of the aircraft follow rigidly defined segments to beam center line, specifically in the area of segment switching, so as to minimize the possibility of collision.